Three cut from cars after crash

TOM HUNT

Last updated 11:02 12/03/2014

ROBERT KITCHIN/Fairfax NZ

Three people had to be cut free from an Upper Hutt crash, which police say was caused when a car crossed a raised median barrier.
State Highway 2 on River Rd has been closed in both directions while emergency services are at the scene.

Related Links

Relevant offers

Three people had to be cut free from an Upper Hutt crash, which police say was caused when a car crossed a raised median barrier this morning.

State Highway 2 on River Rd was closed in both directions while emergency services attended the scene this morning. It reopened before 9am.

Senior Sergeant Marc Clausen said three people had been taken to Hutt Hospital with moderate injuries while a fourth person was flown by Wellington's Westpac rescue helicopter to Wellington Hospital with serious injuries.

Shortly before 6.30am, a northbound car on SH2, between Gibbons St and Totara Park Rd, crossed the raised median barrier and crashed with a southbound vehicle, Mr Clausen said.

Three people were in the southbound car, while one was in the northbound car. An occupant of the southbound car had serious injuries.

Wellington Free Ambulance spokesman Daniel Paul said a 19-year-old man was taken to Hutt Hospital with spinal injuries and a fractured lower left leg.

Two woman in their mid-20s were taken to Hutt Hospital with with spinal injuries.

One also had abdominal injuries.

A woman, also in her mid-20s, was flown to Wellington Hospital with spinal and abdominal injuries. A Wellington Hospital spokeswoman said she was in a stable condition in the emergency department at 9.30am.

Fire Service spokesman Mike Wanoa said three people had to be cut free.

The Police Serious Crash Unit were at the scene.

A witness, who lives near the crash, said he heard a ''fairly big crunch'' followed by ''lots and lots of sirens''.

NZTA was asking motorists to delay travel until later today, if possible.

Spokesman Anthony Frith said the detour route through Upper Hutt was ''already congested'' at 7.15am and the route was unlikely to be able to deal with peak hour traffic.